More of this Feature • Part 1 - Introduction to Samba • Part 2: Samba Configuration and Interoperability

Join the Discussion "You would implement this using Samba, which is Linux's implementation of Server Message Block (SMB). This would allow a directory on the Linux server to appear in the Windows Network Neighborhood. You can then use that directory and assign subdirectories to your users, to let them store programs and data. They would continue to run Windows software using their individual PCs' memory and either the server's, or their PCs' mass storage." -SILVERLOKK

Related Resources • Linux Networking Resources • Windows Networking Resources • Network Protocol Resources

Elsewhere on the Web • Official Samba Documentation • SMB HOWTO • Samba Tutorial

How Samba Can Help

Samba can be utilized in several different ways. On an intranet or other private network, for example, one may use Samba to transfer files between a Linux server and Windows client. Anyone using Web servers running Apache and Linux may consider using Samba rather than FTP to manage Web site content remotely. Besides simple transfers, SMB clients can also perform remote file updates.

Samba proves helpful when working with Unix servers that aren't necessarily Web servers. Software engineers may develop on another platform but wish to use Unix printers, for example. Or, a Web server on another platform can function as an SMB client to remotely access data on a Unix fileserver as an alternative to copying that data locally.

How to Use Samba from Windows Clients

Windows users often map drives to share files between computers. With Samba services running on a Linux or Unix server, Windows users may take advantage of the same facilities to access those files or printers. Here are some ways to access Unix shares from Windows clients:

1. Browse Network Neighborhood to find the Unix hostname, then double-click on the host to reveal shares (directories).

2. Use the Find/Computer option on the Start Menu to specify the Unix host name.

3. Use the Tools/Map Network Drive option in Explorer to map a network drive directly to the Unix share. For example, \\teela\dev specifies the path to a Samba share named dev on the Unix host teela.

Sharing data in the opposite direction works similarly. The Unix program smbclient supports browsing and connecting to Windows shares. For example, to connect to C$ on a Windows NT computer named louiswu, type the following at the Unix command prompt

smbclient \\\\louiswu\\c$ -U username

where username is a valid Windows NT account name. (Samba will prompt for an account password if necessary.)

Samba uses Universal Naming Convention (UNC) paths to refer to network hosts. Because Unix command shells normally interpret backslash characters in a special way, remember to type duplicate backslashes as shown above when working with Samba.

Next page > Configuring Samba, Interoperability 'Gotchas' > Page 1, 2